Beer Lovers Rendezvous in the Rockies for Annual Great American Beer Festival

Brewers Association Toasts World’s Most Diverse Brewing Nation

What:

Over the course of three days, some 49,000 attendees will have the opportunity to sample beers from approximately 600 U.S. breweries at the 32nd annual Great American Beer Festival (GABF). The event, widely-considered America’s premier beer festival and competition, offers the largest selection of U.S. beers ever served in a public tasting, bringing together the brewers and beer lovers that make the U.S. the world’s most diverse brewing nation.

Where:

Colorado Convention Center 700 14th StreetDenver, Colorado

Why:

GABF celebrates the accomplishments and ingenuity of American brewers, who help to make the U.S. the world’s most diverse brewing nation-offering more beer styles and brands to choose from than any other country. The festival recognizes these breweries through a public tasting event in Denver, and by hosting one of the most prestigious beer competitions and judge panels in the world. Since the first GABF in 1982, the event has grown and evolved hand-in-hand with the American brewing community. In 2007, the festival sold out the week of the event, while the 2012 event sold out in a matter of minutes.

Ticket Info:

GABF tickets will be available for purchase to the general public online on July 31, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. MDT/12:00 p.m. EDT via Ticketmaster.com.

A ticket pre-sale exclusively for members of the American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Association will take place on July 30 at 10:00 a.m. MDT/12:00 p.m. EDT.

General Session tickets cost $75 and include:• Commemorative tasting cup• Unlimited one-ounce samples of your choice of more than 2,800 beers, and a festival guide to help you navigate the festival hall• Access to attend more than 30 educational seminars total (all sessions combined) focused on expanded beer appreciation. • Festival program

Note:

GABF General Session ticket sales are limited to four tickets per session per ticket buyer. There is limited availability. For more details on tickets, please click here.

Media Access:

To request press credentials for the event, please complete this online form.

Website:

Note to Editors:

New for 2013:

Expanded Brewpub Pavilion: 1,100 of today’s roughly 2,500 breweries are brewpubs. Last year, GABF recognized this growing trend with the debut of the Brewpub Pavilion showcasing 24 breweries, representing all regions of the country. For 2013, the number of brewers and spaces will be expanded to quench attendees’ thirst for great beers from small brewery-restaurants.

More Breweries: GABF will rearrange the festival hall to allow approximately 600 breweries to pour their beers.

European Influence Enters Competition Category: This year’s GABF competition will feature a brand new category for Grodziskie or Grätzer- a straw-colored ale that was originally a Polish style. It’s a crisp, light-bodied beer. On the other end of the spectrum is the addition of the Adambier category-a dark beer that hails from Dortmund, Germany. It’s a full-bodied beer with more unusual flavors and higher alcohol content. Adambier and Grätzer are both historically smoky ales, aged in oak. They are making a revival among U.S. and international brewers and were added to the Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines for the first time in 2013.

Mobile App: New and improved for 2013 is an enhanced mobile app that was redesigned based on attendee feedback from 2012. Among the new features, it will help attendees in choosing a way to navigate their GABF tasting experience by offering up “palate trips” of beers to try in the hall, grouped by style and other categories.

Story Ideas:

GABF Competition: One of the most renowned competitions in the industry and recognized worldwide as a symbol of brewing excellence, the GABF competition honors 84 beer style categories with gold, silver and bronze medals. In 2013, an estimated 4,600+ beers will be judged by close to 200 judges from around the world. (Note: final, official competition statistics will be published on Saturday, October 12, after all competition judging concludes and medals are announced.)

Craft Beer and Business: Data from 2012 on U.S. craft brewing shows that in a year when the total U.S. beer market grew by one percent, craft brewers saw a 15 percent rise in volume and a 17 percent increase in dollar growth, representing a total barrel increase of almost 1.8 million in 2012. Additionally, small and independent craft brewers across the country employ more than 108,000 people in local, Main Street jobs. These numbers are expected to increase as craft beer’s popularity exponentially grows and further enhances the positive impact the industry is having on the American economy.

Beer and Food: GABF offers a number of opportunities to explore the growing popularity of beer and food pairing. The Farm to Table Pavilion returns for another year, bringing together chefs and craft brewers from across the country to serve dishes created with locally grown ingredients paired with special release beers that aren’t available in the festival hall. The Beer & Food Pavilion also returns with multiple demonstrations featuring expert chefs and brewers alike to discuss the art of cooking with craft beer and how to make the perfect pairing meal.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.